Holder-dispenser for paper cups



.[ZYVEJYL GT5 [fer/22072 002 620 Wayne Mjfaccffi WZUM if wm 5 2 saws-51mm 1 H CAREW ETAL HOLDER-DISPENSER FOR PAPER CUPS Mag-ch 3, 1953 FiledMay 11 1950 March 3, 1953 H. CAREW EI'AL 2,630,361

HOLDER-DISPENSER FOR PAPER CUPS I Filed May 11, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.Z-ZYVEHLUFEM fiermzz darezu ZflayzzaM/facf Patented Mar. 3, 1953HOLDER-DISPENSER FOR PAPER CUP-S Herman Carew-and Wayne M. Mack, Easton,Pa., assignors'to Dixie Cup Company, Easton, Pa, a corporationoffDelaware Application May 11.11950, Seriallio. 161,459

z'fllaims. (01.131243) This invention -.relates to improvements. in aholder-dispenser for paper cups. and more partieularly to a device forholding a stack of nested paper cups. from which device the cups maybereadily removed .one or more at .astime, the invention being highlydesirable for use in soda fountains andasimilar locations, as well as inoifices on executive desks,-etc., although the invention may have stillother uses and purposes aswill be apparent toone skilled in the art.-

In the past, many ,and various types of dis,

pensers :andholders for a snpplyof paper cups have been developedforboth since and soda fountainousage. .Mostcfrequentl'y such holdersembodied a casing to enclose a stack of cups in nested relationship,with the lowermost cups protruding out of the casing where they might begrasped by the hand and pulled one at .a time from... the dispenser. Insoda fountain work, obviously it is not desirable for the handsof theoperator to contact apaper cup in which a soda or soft drink isdispensed, and it is difficult frequently to utilize a unit. cup holderwith gripping means and. withdraw a cup from a dispenser solely bymanipulationof the holder without any manual aid or hand contact withthe cup itself. Sanitary regulations in many localities require that :adispenser cover the cupsespecially during non-rush hours, where the cupsmerely siton the back bar or counter in position to collectdust anddirt. In view of the difiiculty in providing speedy service withdispensers of the character formerly known, it became the custom tomerely lace an inverted stack of cups in an open boxlike formation .or.openly upon thejbackbar or counter, :andutilize the unit hololer aloneto withdraw the uppermost .clip from such a stack; The sanitaryregulations. aforementioned. however, condemn such practice. Further, is,isdesirable at times to cleanse the dispenser-holder, and

heretofore that could only be accomplished with extreme difficulty, :ifit were at all possible.

With the toregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instantinvention to provide. a paper cup :supply holder or dispenser, whichwhen not in use completely encloses all-of thecups therein.

Another object-of the invention is the provision of a papercup'dispenser arranged to .contain ,an inverted. stack of nested papercups, andwhich dispenser itself opens up. to permitready access to thecups, while the stack of clips remains erect and immobile Anothercobject of this invention is the provision of a dispenseror supply holderfor a stack of paper caps, which holder upon very easy pres- *2 surewill split apartceach side f the hold r pivoting outwardly. to leave thestack 0! cups erect and freely accessible.

Still another feature of 'theinvention resides in the provision of adispenser, for paper-cups;

which dispenser is divided in two halves, shelllike portions, which maybe readily separated by a mild pressure applied at any of aplurality ofdifferent points.

It is also a feature of this invention to provide a dispenser for papercups which readily splits apart upon the application of light pressureto expose the stack of cups in a freely accessible position, and whichholder is provided with means to automatically close and completely.cover the stack of cups upon release of the pressure.

Still a further object of the invention resides in the provision of adispenser for a stack .of paper cups, which dispenser comprises twoseparable halves which readily pivot outwardly at the bottom to exposethe stack of cups, and which may be locked in open or outwardly pivoted'position whenever desired.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide adispenser-holder for a supply of paper cups, which holder may be readilyand quickly dismantled for easy cleansing, and as facilely reassembled.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantagesof the instant in-' vention have been above pointed out, otherswillbecome apparent from the following disclosures taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings in whichw- Figure 1 is a top plan view ofa dispenser .or supply holder for paper cups embodying principles of theinstant invention;

Figure 2 is a side .elevationalviewof the structure of Fig. 1;

Figure .3 is an enlarged pictorial view or the upper portion of thedevice removed from the base;

Figure 4 is an enlarged pictorial view of the base portion of the devicealone; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged central vertical 556- tional view through thedeyice with the casing in opened position, and indicating the operationof the device.

As shownon the drawings:

While the illustrated embodiment of the instant invention is shown withand to accommodate conical paper cups, it will readily be understoodthat the dispenser-holder may be utilized for the enclosing anddispensing'of flat bottom or' other type papertcups iustiaswell. As

will be more fully apparent later herein, only one element of the holderneed be changed in order to adapt the holder for a difierently shapedcup. The entire device, with the obvious exception of items such assprings, pins, and the like, may be molded or cast from a suitablethermosetting plastic, a light metal, or any other satisfactory materialpreferably a material that will tend to remain clean for a long intervalof time, and which may readily be cleaned whenever soiled. In theillustrated embodiment of the instant invention there is shown a base orplatform I and preferably integral therewith and extending upwardlytherefrom is a pair of confronting foundation or supporting members 2-2.As seen clearly in Fig. 4, these members are arcuate in character, butless than semi-circular in extent, each terminating in an outwardlyextending lug 3 at each end thereof. Each lug 3 is provided withanaperture 4 therethrough to accommodate a headed slip pin 5, which pinsnot only function as pivot pins for the casing parts to be laterdescribed, but also maintain the entire device assembled. 1 Near eachend thereof and between confronting lugs 3-3, the base is recessed toaccommodate a compression spring 6, as best seen in Figs. 4 and 5.

A cup supporting plug 1 having in general the configuration of a cone isremovably mounted on the baseby any satisfactory means such as a pair ofrecessed screws 8-8 (Fig. 5). It will be noted especially from theshowing in Fig. i, that the cup supporting plug '1 is disposed centrallybetween the arcuate portions of the foundation members 2-2 and is spacedfrom these members to permit the casing to be slipped therebetween. Ofcourse, being conical, the plug a is designed to support an invertedstack of nested conical paper cups. It will at once be apparent,however, that should some other shape of cup, such as a fiat bottom cupfor example, be desired, it is a simple expedient to remove the plug "a'and substitute another plug having a shape in conformity with theinterior of the different type of cup to be supported. Thus, the samedispenser-holder may be utilized for a plurality of differently shapedcups, and a plurality of different sized cups, it being only necessaryto utilize the properly shaped and properly sized plug I for anyparticular type of cups. This feature obviously adds greatly to theeconomy of manufacture.

Likewise, should a soda fountain proprietor desire to change over fromone form of cups to another form of cups, he need not replace all thedispenser-holders he may have available, but need only substitute adifferently shaped plug in the holders already on hand.

At each end thereof, the base i is provided with an outwardly extendingear 19 to which an anchoring loop or stirrup I0 is pivotally connected,these loops being for the purpose of retaining the casing of the holderin open position whenever desired.

The holder or container portion of the device comprises a pair ofallochiral half shells II and I2 each of which is substantiallysemi-cylindrical in shape. Each of these shells II and I2 is providedwith a cover portion I? from which a handle element I4 upwardlyprojects. At the lower end thereof, each of the half shells I I and I2is provided with an outstanding lever arm I5 4 attached to the halfshells in any suitable fashion, such as by one or more countersunkscrews I! as clearly seen in Fig. 5.

As seen best in Figs. 3 and 5, the shell II is provided with a gearsegment It at the lower part of each inner edge, and the shell I2 issimilarly provided with gear segments I9I 9 shaped for loosely meshingwith the gear segments I8 on the other half shell.

With reference to Fig. 5, it will be seen that one or both of the halfshells II and I2 may be provided at its upper end with a suitable shockabsorbing element 20 recessed in the respective cover portion I3, andthese shock absorbing elements may well be made of relatively softrubber.

In order to assemble the device, it is simply necessary to place the twohalf shells H and I2 in the position seen in Fig. 3, and then telescopethe lower ends of the shells inside the foundation members 22. on thebase. In this operation, the compression springs 66 will seat in asuitable socket 2I in the corresponding lever arm I5. The pins 55 maythereupon be readily slipped through the apertures 4 in the adjacentconfronting lugs 33 of the base, and at the same time pass through theaperture I6 in the respective lever arm I5 which extends outwardlybetween the confronting lugs 3--3. When these two pins have been placedin position, the device is completely assembled and ready for operation.It will be at once apparent that it is a simple expedient to removethetwo slip pins 55, lift out the half shells I I and I2, and the entiredevice is completely dismantled, at least sufficiently aforesaid slippins 5. Such lever arms may be for purposes of positive andeasiycleansing of the parts.

A stack 22 of inverted nested conical paper cups may be placed on top ofthe supporting plug I either before or after assembling thedispenser-holder. Usually the cups will be placed in after the assemblyof the holder, because it will be necessary to replenish thedispenserholder with cups many, many times before it is necessary todismantle and cleanse the dispenser.

In operation, the instant invention is extremely simple and highlysatisfactory. Assuming the dispenser to be in the position seen in Fig.2, and containing a stack 22 of paper cups, it is a simple expedient foran operator to press on a handle I4, or on a lever arm I5, with thefinger, and move one of the half shells II outwardly, the shell pivotingabout the respective pin 5. This pivotal action will, of course, beagainst the springs 6-6, but nevertheless only a very light pressure isnecessary. The movement of one of the shells, by virtue of the looselymeshed gear segments I8 and I9, will cause a corresponding outwardmovement of the opposite shell. Upon the application of such pressure,the two half shells will assume a position substantially that seen inFig. 5, and access is readily had to the uppermost cup of the stack 22.Upon release of the pressure, the springs 6-6 automatically restore thehalf shells to closed position, and this closure is silent and smooth byvirtue of the one or more shock absorbing elements Zll.

Where the present invention is used at soda fountains and in similarlocations, it is a simple expedient, especially during rush hours, toopen the dispenser and raise one or both of the anchoring loops Ill-I0from the dotted line position seen in Fig. 5 to the full line position,over the .end of the adjacent lever arm I5 and thus lock the dispenserin open position. The cup stack 22 remains in an immobile erectcondition where the cups are readily accessible, and individual cupholders, which commonly have automatic gripping means therein, may beutilized as indicated by the dotted lines 23 in Fig. 5 to remove thecups one at a time from the top of the stack. As soon as the rush houris over, it is a simple expedient to release the anchoring loops l0l0and permit the holder to automatically close so that the cups arecompletely enclosed and maintained free from dust, satisfying anysanitary regulations of the particular locality.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that we have provided a simple formof dispenser for paper cups that is not only highly eflieient in,

operation, but very pleasing in appearance. It will be noted that thedispenser may be opened at a touch, and when closed fully protects thecups from dust and dirt. Further, the dispenser may be readilydismantled for cleaning when desired, and very facilely reassembled. Theinvention has few parts that ever become out of order, is economical tomanufacture, and may readily be adapted for cups of substantially anydesirable shape.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a paper cup dispenser, a base, an upright casing on said base toenclose a stack of paper cups, said casing including a pair ofcomplemental shells pivoted at their lower ends to said base, anoutwardly extending lever arm at the lower end of each shell to pivotthe same outwardly to expose the cups, means connecting said shells formovement in unison, resilient means tending to maintain said shellsclosed, and an anchoring loop pivoted to said base to engage over one ofsaid arms and hold the casing in open position.

2. In a paper cup dispenser, a base, an upright casing on said base toenclose a stack of paper cups, said casing including a pair ofcomplemental shells pivoted at their lower ends "to said base, anoutwardly extending lever arm at the lower end of each shell to pivotthe same outwardly to expose the cups, means between said shells tocause corresponding movement of one when the other is pivoted, andanchoring means on said base to selectively hold said casing in openposition.

HERMAN CAREW. WAYNE M. MACK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,214,677 Herzog Feb. 6, 19172,254,038 Hope Aug. 216, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date439,232 Germany Jan. 6, 1927

